THIS week’s selection of extracts from The Commercial, Shipping & General Advertiser, The Penryn & Falmouth Advertiser and The Borough Times, supplied by Penryn Museum.

From February 1895:

We have it from the testimony of a person now living who has passed through above eighty winters, that he has no recollection of such a keen biting cold easterly wind so long and so severe as it has been during the past few weeks. He says that there have been many years when frost and snow have been much more prevalent, and yet not nearly so cold.

He recollects the year 1814, by being attracted as a child, on seeing the beautiful icicles that hung on the trees like glass chandeliers, this was the year when the River Thames was frozen so solid that a fair was held on it. It was a memorable year in this locality being the time that the ‘Queen Transport’ was wrecked at Trefusis Point during a snow storm.

The Chartered Company: Those who believe in justice and righteousness may well be ashamed of the means by which so-called civilised countries have gained their possessions in different parts of the world. England has much to answer for in this direction, and it adds to the guilt to pretend that it is done for the benefit of the natives, when we all know that the main object in view is to possess the land which does not belong to them.

Penryn - Miss Alison Garland who is announced to speak at the Town Hall (by kind permission of the Mayor) on Wednesday next is a very eloquent speaker, and is at present on an organising and lecturing tour in Cornwall on behalf of the Women’s Liberal Federation. An attractive programme of music and recitations will commence the meeting.

J J Penaluna, of West Street, Penryn, has just added another triumph to his numerous wins this season by winning second in Scotch Fancy Canary Class, at the Crystal Palace Cage Bird Show, this week. This speaks well for the class of birds which he keeps.

It was reported at Falmouth Board of Guardians, Mr T Webber presiding, that the relief granted for the last fortnight was only 7s 5d more than for the corresponding fortnight last year, and that during the last fortnight no able bodied men had applied for relief. Supplementary vaccination returns for Penryn and Mylor for 1893 showed that out of 191 births 13 only were vaccinated, and that 114 were unaccounted for.